light always shines brightest on the darkest of nights
by purinsesu-sereniti
Summary: harry potter au (set post deathly hallows): Harry Potter is dead. The war seems lost without him but not all is lost. The Order will rise again and take back their world. Voldemort will not triumph. Light will always shine bright in the dark.
1. Chapter 1

The world was swimming around her.

Those dark, cold words were echoing in her spinning mind, her eyes blinking as they stared unseeingly forward. Words to hard for her to take in, words to bleak and devastating to surely be true. Her face was growing warm but the air felt cold; her heart was hammering hard inside of her chest, so hard that she was certain all of the others in the room could hear it. She became aware of their eyes on her, she could hear the distant, drawn out syllables as someone spoke her name… Her knees were wobbling then, threatening to give way, and then she felt someone at her side. A hand on her elbow, warm and strong, guiding her towards a chair. She allowed them to sit her down, to push her down so her face was pressed to her knees, and she listened as they instructed her to breathe in and then out. For what felt like an eternity she remained like that, the voices around her falling silent, footsteps the only sound as someone else approached her.

"Ginny…" Someone was speaking to her and she lifted her face, brown eyes finding green, but they were not the green eyes she longed to see. "Do you understand what I said?" He asked quietly, his hand reaching out in an effort to comfort her, but she immediately drew away, turning instead to look at her mother who stood across the room from her.

Molly Weasley could not stop the tears that were streaming down her face, though she wished she could be stronger. She looked upon her daughter, who's face had gone deathly white and who's eyes seemed far too large for her face, and wished she could do something for her. Remus was kneeling before her, speaking soft words that Molly could not hear. "Ginny…" Remus' tone was a little louder and the trembling redhead jumped at the sound, turning away from her mother to instead focus on Remus once again. "Harry is dead, Ginny. I'm sorry." He reached for her once more, slipping a hand over hers, his fingertips brushing across the diamond ring he'd witnessed Harry giving her only a few months prior. He felt a pang in his chest and felt immense heartbreak for the girl before him.

"No. That can't be." For the first time since Remus and the others had arrived, fleeing from a battle they had lost, Ginny was speaking. She shook her head, red hair slipping over her shoulders. For the first time since Remus had first uttered those awful words, she looked as if she were understanding. Her face was crumpling and tears were filling those doe-like eyes. "That can't be." She repeated, her lower lip trembling as she fought against the tears that were sure to win. "He's not dead." It was a simple phrase. Spoken in a flat tone as she composed herself, swallowing down her tears and shaking her head. No, she simply would not believe it. "There's no way he's dead."

"It is true. I saw it with my own eyes." Remus said softly, his eyes downcast and full of anguish, his feelings for the boy like that of a father to his son. He had cared for Harry like his own, for more reasons than he simply being James' boy. "He is gone and we must prepare for the worst to come." He stood then, like her looking stoic and swallowing down his emotions. He turned from the young woman in the chair to instead face the others in the room. "Hermione and Ron are missing as well, I can't say if they live or die, but we can only hope for the best."

Across the room, Molly choked on a sob and beside her, Arthur slid an arm around her waist. Silent tears poured down his cheeks as he thought of the boy he'd considered another son dead and lost to them. And his own son, his own flesh and blood, missing alongside the young woman he'd grown to care for as another daughter. Just like that, their whole family was falling apart. "Neville… Has someone gone to him?" Arthur spoke up then, speaking the words that needed to be heard. Neville Longbottom had been the other boy the prophecy could have spoke of. With Harry dead, Neville would become a target as the only other person who could stop Voldemort. He would need to be found and protected. Much like the others, he'd joined the ranks of the Order as soon as he could, and he had been on a separate mission when the battle had taken place. "He'll need to be protected."

"He's safe. We've put him somewhere safe." Remus replied with a nod, running a hand through his gray-streaked hair, turning his eyes from face to face in the room. So many faces, all reflecting the very same emotions: sorrow, fear, and anxiety. They had all lost a person they cared for deeply, someone important for more reasons than being the Boy Who Lived. Harry had touched all of their lives in one way or another… He was more than the boy of a prophecy. He was their friend, their family. And worst of all, there were two more potential losses they might have to suffer through. Not knowing what had happened to Hermione and Ron was almost worst than knowing they were dead. Anything could have been happening to them. They could only hope that they were somehow safe. His gaze came back to rest upon Ginny, who remained seated at the table, her brown eyes staring out but he was certain she saw nothing. She looked lost, so small and pale in the chair, her red hair falling into her face. Then to Molly and Arthur, who had more or less lost a son that night, while two other of theirs (Hermione was like a daughter to them, much like Harry had been like a son) were out there in the unknown. They looked miserable and he knew he probably looked the same.

Ginny had stopped listening. She heard Neville's name be brought up, heard Remus and her father begin to talk, but she was not listening. She could not listen. Thoughts were racing through her mind; Harry dead… Ron and Hermione missing… No, it was just too much. It was too much for her to bear. Rising up from the chair, she pushed past Remus and her parents, past the twins and took to the stairs, taking them two at a time until she reached the landing of the floor her bedroom was on. She heard her mother calling after her, but she did not stop, instead she raced down the hall and threw open her bedroom door, slamming it closed behind her. For several long seconds she leaned back against it, breathing deeply, trying to keep herself in control. But it was no use. A strangled sob escaped her and she slid down the door to the floor, drawing her knees towards her chest as she began to quietly cry. Burying her face against her knees, she cried for what could have been minutes, or it could have been hours. She'd lost track of time. She cried until she could cry no more, until every single tear had been used up and she was dry.

Blinking her tired, swollen eyes she pushed herself up onto her shaking legs, tiptoeing across the floor to drop down onto her bed, falling face down against her pillow. She lay there for a few moments until she rolled onto her side, one arm slipping beneath the pillow, her fingertips brushing against something. Pulling her arm out, she pulled out a photograph, placed there by her own hands months before. The people in the photo waved happily at her, the girls arms around each other as the boys stood behind them; it was of her and the others, Harry and Ron and Hermione. She and Hermione wore matching scarves and Harry and Ron had attempted to do their hair nice that night. For a single moment a smile spread across her lips and then as she traced her fingertips across the surface of the photo, she felt the tears begin to fall yet again. She threw the picture away, watching as it sailed across the room to land on the floor in the center of the room. Her eyes swept over the empty bed that would have usually occupied Hermione, made neatly with the topmost blanket tucked neatly around the mattress. She thought of Harry and of the times they had spent in her bed, she recalled how he had kissed her that last time, and told her he loved her. She reached over with her right hand, idly spinning the diamond ring he'd given her that summer, wondering why he'd given her such a thing if he was only going to die. No, she reminded herself, he had never intended for that to happen of course.

She thought of the last time that she had seen him, only a few nights ago, when they had parted ways in the kitchen below. He had kissed her briefly and smiled, his emerald eyes reflecting the dying sunlight as the sky faded from blue to hues of crimson and gold. "I'll see you tomorrow," he had said with a grin, lifting his hand in a wave as he and the others slipped from the Burrow, heading out to what was supposed to be a routine mission. Just what had gone so wrong? She had waved at them as they left, laughing as Ron doubled back to press a kiss to her temple, something he had not done in years. She had been left standing in the doorway long after they'd gone, until her mother had touched her shoulder and asked if she was alright. It was then that she had returned inside to ready herself for her own mission that she had to take care of that same night.

Never in a thousand years had she thought she would come home to what she had come home to.

No, she had thought she'd come home to find Harry asleep in her bed, perhaps in his own, and Ron would be stuffing his face full of leftovers from that night's dinner. Hermione would be reading in the parlor or asleep in the room they still yet shared. But when she had stumbled inside after thirteen hours on the run she was well aware of something odd happening, but unsure as to what it could be. She'd been chasing after some low level Death Eaters who were rumored to be under the Imperius Curse, and not really on the side of Voldemort. She was attempting to ascertain if that was true, and if so, remove the curse from the men. But before she'd had a chance to get close and do as she was bid, the men had been called away, as the Dark Mark on their arms burned and was then cast high into the sky. The men had vanished from her sight a moment later and feeling annoyed that her mission had fallen through, Ginny decided to return home and regroup with the others.

And now everything was falling apart.

She lay back against her pillows, staring up at the ceiling for hours; the darkness swallowed up her room and she continued to stare at the ceiling above her until dawn crept up and the morning sunlight began to spill through her curtains. How long had she been up now? She couldn't remember. Reaching up, she ran a hand over her face, a shudder racing the length of her spine. All night long she had heard footsteps and voices belonging to various people who still yet remained in the home, had heard her mother softly knocking on her door which she had ignored. Everything would be different now. Everything was going to change.


	2. Chapter 2

In the days that followed, Ginny forced herself from her bedroom and went on to her next mission without missing a beat. What else was she to do? Wallow in her pain for days on end? No. she was going to do something about it. She was going to make someone pay for what they had done, for what they had taken from her and the rest of the world.

And so that was how she found herself to be sneaking outside of an old, rundown building that was not what it looked to be. Appearances were often times deceiving and this was no exception. She knew enough, had heard enough, and knew that this was rumored to be where they held Ron and Hermione. It was probably incredibly stupid of her to go alone but, she supposed grief made a person do stupid things. Ginny snuck around the back side of the building, peering around the corner to see the single guard standing outside the door. A guard meant something. She felt her heart skip a beat and she forced herself to remain to calm and not jump to any sort of conclusions. Clutching tightly to her wand, she took a deep breath and darted forwards, her cloak hood pulled up over her head, shielding her famous red hair from sight.

Her footsteps alerted the man who turned at once, squaring his shoulders as she approached, his wand held aloft. "Who's there?" He called out, his voice thick with accent, his tone sharp and his stance defensive. She did not give him a response but instead raised her own wand and the jet of light that issued from its tip was blue and fast. It hit its target, knocking the man back several steps as he fought to gain back his footing. "Who-" he began again but did not have time to finish the statement before she was attacking once more, relentlessly slamming him with spell after spell, before finally managing to disarm him. His wand spun away from him and she stepped forward, snapping it beneath her foot. She came closer and he dropped to his knees before her, his hands raised in a gesture of surrender. It became apparent that this was a lowly Death Eater, perhaps joined with them for reasons beyond his control. No matter. She conjured ropes and they snaked around his limbs, tying together in tight knots that he'd never be able to untangle. As she approached him, he looked up, his face torn between awe and anger, his mouth moving as he tried to speak. She got him with a quick spell, one that left him slumped over and unconscious. Moving past the body, Ginny unlocked the door he'd been guarding and let the door close behind her, lifting her wand as she softly uttered the spell to light her way.

Just as she had suspected, the outside of the building had been a ruse, and it was an elaborate home full of rooms and halls, a mansion of sorts that she could only assume belonged to one of the Death Eaters. It was eerily quiet. Casting a silencing charm to her feet, to keep her footsteps from sounding, she darted off down the hall, peeking into the rooms one by one as she went by. The main hall led her down to another and then another until it finally veered off to two sets of stairs, one leading down and the other leading up. She would take her chances and went left, taking the stairs that led her down to another closed door. Reaching out a hand, she was surprised when the knob turned in her palm, and she could push the door open. Stepping into a darkened room, she left the door slightly ajar, allowing a thin stripe of light to filter in. her wand offered a little more light and she raised it higher, sweeping her arm back and forth, the beam of light traveling over two bodies strapped into chairs. "Ron! Hermione!" She gasped, rushing forwards, dropping to her knees before them as she pulled the hood from her cloak down. "You're alive!" She felt tears welling in her eyes as relief rushed through her entire body. They were alive. They were alive! "Let me get you out of here."

Shock was evident on their faces, clearly neither had thought they were to be rescued. Hermione's face was dirty and tear tracks covered her cheeks. Ron had a cut over his left eye but both seemed unhurt. As she reached out a hand to begin unfastening their ropes, she heard Ron's sudden intake of breath. "Ginny!" As he called out her name, he knew it was a moment too late. The two Death Eaters had approached her and one reached out, yanking her backwards by a sharp tug to her long, fiery locks. She gave a shocked, but pained cry as her back hit the ground, and she felt the foot pushing onto her chest a moment later, keeping her in place there on the ground.

"Look here Lucius, we have ourselves a little heroine here on a rescue mission." Fenrir Greyback was grinning maliciously down at her as he tilted his head, inspecting her much like a butcher inspects a piece of meat. He pointed his wand down at her, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly as he stared down at her. "Another Weasley." He confirmed and a moment later the room was flooded with light.

"Let her up, Fenrir." Lucius Malfoy's cool, tenor vocals filtered in through her ears and Ginny felt her stomach twist up in a knot. A moment later, Fenrir pulled his foot from her chest, though he seemed rather reluctant to do so, and stepped aside. She was on her feet at once, wand clutched tightly in her hand, her back to the two still strapped to their chairs. She would protect them, she vowed, she would save them even if it killed her. "I knew we should have expected you." Malfoy was smiling that malevolent smile of his and she swallowed, keeping her wand hand steady, her brown eyes narrowed. "Not even grief can stop you, it would seem." Lucius Malfoy had not, in all honesty, expected the girl to show. In fact, he had not thought any one of the Order would show, not there especially. This just proved to him how dangerous the girl really was. How she had learned the whereabouts of this place, he would love to know, and more so he wondered why she was not at home playing the part of a grieving girl that had just lost the love of her life. Harry Potter had died with her name on his lips, Lucius wondered if she knew that.

"Nothing will stop me." She said after a moment, her brown eyes narrowing as their gaze swept from face to face. She was up against two of the strongest Death Eaters… alone.. But she swallowed down her fear and stood her ground, shoulders squared and head held high. She slipped her cloak from her body, letting it fall to the ground around her feet, her eyes returning to stare Lucius Malfoy dead in the face. Before either man could react, she was darting forward, her wand extending as the flash of a silent spell shot forward. Both Malfoy and Greyback dodged, the latter throwing one of his own back. She blocked and managed to take him down with a quick stunning spell, but his wand remained tightly within his grasp. A curse from Malfoy sent her skidding backwards, stumbling until she righted herself, the pain from the spell's contact sharp and burning. "Confringo!" She cried out, the orange light shooting forth. She heard Malfoy and Greyback both curse as her spell hit its target, the floor at their feet. With a deafening bang, the floor around them exploded, shooting debris and rubble everywhere, and knocking both men to what remained of the floor. The floorboards beneath threatened to give way and Ginny took a single step back, closer to where Ron and Hermione sat, still strapped to their chairs. "Let me know when you're ready to give up." Ginny tossed her head and offered the two men a smirk as they attempted to rise back to their feet.

Giving up certainly was not an option.

Lucius was on the move again, rushing forth as his wand extended, its intended target was not her, but the two behind her. Ginny turned, hair flying, and sidestepped, taking the curse for herself in a moment of self-sacrifice. the Cruciatus Curse hit her like a ton of bricks and she hit the floor with a thud, writhing in agony all the while forcing herself not to scream. She could hear Ron and Hermione screaming her name but their voices were distant, nearly lost to her. The pain was great, but deep down in the back of her mind, she knew it all to be in her head. That was the point of the curse, after all. It was enough to drive a person mad and it certainly had many times in the past. The curse hit her a second time, stronger this time, and she heard laughter, and knew it was not Malfoy who attacked her this time around. As the pain began to subside, she lay still on the ground, listening to the footfalls on the floorboard, knowing that all parties in the room surely thought her to be unconscious. She felt a hand grasp her hair for a second time that evening and she forced herself to remain still, her arms hanging limply at her sides, wand loosely gripped between two single fingers. "That's all you got, girly?" Greyback was chuckling as he held her up, her long, crimson locks soft against his calloused fingers. "This is why girls should stay home, eh Malfoy?" Ginny opened her eyes a slit and could see Greyback and turned his head away from her, his gaze instead on Malfoy. "What should we do with her? There's no fun if she can't scream."

This was her moment.

"Furnunculous!" She jabbed her wand up and into Greyback's face, and with a roar he released her as he became covered in painful boils. She fell back to the ground with a _thump_ and pushed herself back as the werewolf began to bellow in pain and anger. His eyes fell upon her and she swallowed, her wand extending as she pushed herself back onto her feet. In his anger, his wand was forgotten, and he came at her with his bare hands. Behind him, Lucius had to admit he was impressed. The girl was putting up a damn good fight. He supposed they had underestimated her in more ways than one.

"I'll kill you, bitch!" Greyback shouted as his fist connected with the side of her face, sending her flying sideways, knocking her right back to the ground. Her wand spun away from her and she felt true fear for a single moment. Her head ringing, she rolled onto her back as Greyback came at her once again, his eyes narrowed slits, his claw-like hands reaching for her. Her eyes darted back and she knew she needed to get to her wand before either one of the men did. Turning her attention back to Greyback, she felt his hands as they snaked around her throat, lifting her up off the ground yet again. He was squeezing the breath from her lungs and she could hear both Ron and Hermione as they shouted and struggled against their bindings. And suddenly everything she ever learned growing up with six older brothers came screaming out of her; she had wrestled and fought with her brothers, especially the twins and Ron enough to learn to fight back, enough to know how to get away from someone bigger and stronger than she. Her hands grasping at the hands around her throat, she forced her eyes open and aimed one single kick at Greyback's groin.

The moment her foot connected he let out a yelp like no other and she fell from his grasp; Greyback staggered backwards, cursing and shouting as he clung to his groin, torn between violent anger and caring for his own injured manhood. Ginny scrambled backwards, on her hands and knees, managing to grab her wand as she jumped back to her feet. Her back to Greyback, she deflected a spell cast by Malfoy, shooting one back of her own. A spell caught her from the back and she was knocked forwards, falling to the ground at Malfoy's feet; he loomed over her, smirking maliciously, his wand extending out as he made to attack her.

But she was quicker.

"Stupefy!" She cried, her attention turned not to Malfoy, but to Greyback; surprised by her sudden turn, Greyback did not have the time to deflect, and her stunning spell caught him in the chest. He went down with a solid sounding _thump_ and lay motionless on the ground. Jumping back up, her knees weak and threatening to give way, Ginny faced Malfoy, her brown eyes narrowing. "Ready to give up?" She asked, offering a smirk of her own, her feet steadying and her stance strong. She tossed her head of red hair and squared her shoulders, chin jutting to the side as she faced him with a fierce expression. Malfoy glanced to his unconscious partner and then back to her face, as if he were internally struggling with what to do. He knew, if he fought back, he could win but she would end up dead. And that just wouldn't do. The Dark Lord would not appreciate him killing the girl and so, despite not wanting to, Malfoy stepped back and let his wand hand fall to his side.

"You win this time, but next time…" He lifted his wand hand again and over her shoulder he aimed, and Greyback's body raised up off the ground, shooting across the room to land at his feet instead. He glanced to the back of the room, where Ron and Hermione sat, and knew he would have to leave them. They didn't matter now that Potter was dead, a blood traitor and a Mudblood. They would be dead before the war ended, that much he was certain of. "We will meet again." Malfoy spat, reaching down to take Greyback by the wrist, Apparating on the spot. They were gone.

For several long moments Ginny stood there, staring at the spot where the two men had previously been standing. She couldn't believe it… She had won. Spinning around, she dashed back across the room, quickly untying her brother and friend, releasing them from their binds. At once Ron had thrown his arms around her, crushing her to his chest, murmuring words she could not quite make out. Then Hermione had her turn and the two girls clung to one another, tears mingling as their cheeks pressed together. "We should go…" Ron finally spoke up, taking both of the girls by the hand as they nodded, wiping their tears away with their single free hands. "Together." He nodded as they both held fast to their wands and each other's hands, the small _pop_ sounding as they too vanished from the spot.

At least they were together again.


	3. Chapter 3

Ginny woke the morning of Harry's funeral full of dread.

Outside her window, the sun was shining, but she felt dead inside. She had spent the last week alone in her room, recovering from her battle with Malfoy and Greyback, as well as trying to make sense of where her life was going to go. Hermione had spent various hours with her, seated on her bed, silent for the most part but sometimes trying to offer the young woman some words of comfort or encouragement. Ginny knew she was suffering too, as was Ron, as they all were… She often heard Hermione crying at night, had seen Ron's bruised knuckles from where he had punched a hole in the drywall of his bedroom… Her mother was on edge, crying at the drop of a hat, and even the others… her father, Remus, all of her brothers… In some way or another, Harry Potter had touched many lives.

And so, she wasn't all that surprised when she looked out her bedroom window to see the front yard full of people. Hundreds of people were strewn across the grass and there were probably more in the back where she could not see. All of those people were there to pay their respects to Harry… But that felt so wrong. This wasn't what they were supposed to be doing. They should have been out fighting alongside him to bring about the defeat of Voldemort. Harry wasn't supposed to be dead.

Laying back on her bed, she stared up at the ceiling, brown eyes dark with grief, but no tears coming to spill down her cheeks. She had not cried for days and she wasn't so sure she'd ever cry again. In truth, she wasn't sure she would ever feel anything ever again. Glancing at the clock on her bedside table, she saw the time and knew she was going to be late. _Fuck it,_ she thought, rolling over onto her side, knowing there was no where else she wanted to be but there in her bed.

The minutes ticked by and soon it was ten after ten and she knew they would be wondering where she of all people were. Fifteen minutes and then she heard it, the slow, soft knock that told her Hermione was at the door. Before she could respond, the door opened and the brunette entered, closing the door behind her. She came to stand in the center of the room, still and silent, as she waited for the redhead to roll over and face her. It took only seven seconds or so until Ginny rolled over and sat up, her red hair a mess and her eyes full of so much sadness it took Hermione's breath away. "Everyone is waiting for you… They're waiting to uh, start." Hermione said softly, looking the girl up and down, seeing she was still dressed in sweats. Now that she looked across the room, she could see the black dress hanging on a peg on the wall, one that was clearly the one she'd chosen to wear for the occasion.

"I'm not going." Ginny's curt response did not surprise her in the slightest. She threw herself back onto the bed and rolled over, pulling the blanket up over her head, as if this would solve all of her problems. She heard the soft footsteps and felt the mattress dip as Hermione sat down on the edge of the bed. For a long moment there was nothing but silence between the girls and then finally Hermione yanked the blanket away, forcing the girl to turn onto her back and look up at her. "I can't do this." Ginny's anguished whisper cut her like a knife and Hermione felt tears stinging her eyes. Ginny's hands came up to cover her face as she fought against the urge to fall apart. "I can't do this." She repeated, softer than ever, her vocals cracking with the emotions she had tried so hard to suppress.

"Yes, you can. And you will." Hermione said, sounding much stronger than she felt. Reaching out, she pulled Ginny's hands from her face, and peered down into her eyes. "I'm going to be right there with you. And so is Ron. So is your whole family and everyone else that is here to honor Harry." She took her hands and gave them a tight squeeze. "And I need you there to be with me, too." A single tear slipped down Hermione's cheek and for a moment there was nothing but silence. But then Ginny gave a nod and sat up, allowing Hermione to assist her off the bed. She supposed she could not hide from the truth forever, after all. Harry was dead and she was going to have to deal with that.

Fifteen minutes later, the two young women left the bedroom they'd shared for all those years past and when they had reached the kitchen, Ron stood there waiting for him, dressed nicely in brand new dress robes. As the two approached, he tried to offer them a smile but Ginny could see that he too was suffering deeply over the loss of his best friend. They embraced and Ron held tight to her for a moment, feeling her thin frame beneath the black dress she wore, seeing the weight of her heartache draped over her shoulders like a cloak. "Together?" He asked softly to which both girls nodded and he put out an arm for each of them to take, leading them out of the kitchen door and into the backyard.

By then, everyone had gathered and were seated in the hundreds of chairs placed in rows across the grassy slope. At the head, a gleaming chestnut coffin lay atop a table draped with crimson cloth, beside it a portrait of a boy with messy black hair and a goofy sort of smile. There were flowers everywhere, there were photos everywhere too; photos of her and him, of he and Ron and Hermione, even a few of his parents. Photos from Weasley family gatherings, of their school days, so many different photos. Ginny felt her heart skip a beat and her legs ceased working, leaving her to stand there for a moment until Ron gave her arm a tiny little tug, coaxing her to keep moving. All eyes were upon them then, on Harry Potter's best friends and his fiancée, as they walked up the center aisle towards the front row of chairs. Molly and Arthur, along with Remus Lupin sat in a few of the front row seats and three in the center were left open, with two more being occupied by Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood. The other rows upon rows of chairs were full of classmates and Order members, of people who were loyal to Harry and to his cause. As she looked out over the coffin, Ginny could see there were more people gathered outside the gates, people who had come because Harry was a hero to them, who didn't care that they could not be at his coffin-side but at least wanted to pay their respects. Harry was, in all aspects of the word, beloved by the Wizarding World.

A moment later, Remus rose from his chair and stepped up to stand before the casket, his hands shuffling a stack of cards he'd been holding. All the planning he'd put into the speech he would make… It all went out the window as he looked out upon the sea of faces. Like Ginny, he too was amazed by the amount of people that had shown up to offer up their respect for the Boy Who Lived. As he began to speak, words that flowed right from his heart, he knew exactly what it was that he wanted to say.

His words poignant and meaningful, Ginny forced herself to keep listening; Remus spoke of Harry's honor, his bravery, and his loyalty. He spoke of his love for her and the entire Weasley family. He talked about how fame never changed him. He talked about his exceptional skills as a young wizard, about how surprisingly good he was at school. He touched on everything about Harry, bringing to life the boy she had known and fallen in love with. As Remus drew to a finish, a slow, resounding clap began to sound, and Ginny remained still in her chair, staring straight ahead as Remus returned to his seat. To her surprise, Ron was rising up from his chair and he too took to the podium, his hands shaking slightly as he held tight to single sheet of parchment on which he'd scribbled his thoughts.

He too spoke of Harry's bravery, of his loyalty to both his friends and to the world. He spoke of the first time they had met and about the first time their Mum had sent him a Christmas sweater. He talked about the times they'd nearly died and how he'd have died any of those times for Harry, much like he had died for all of them. He said how Harry had been like another brother to him and how he'd miss him for the rest of his life. And then, though it looked like he had wanted to say more, he had fallen silent and returned to his chair, his tears silent as they coursed down his cheeks. Hermione leaned into him and he slipped an arm around her shoulders, drawing her a little closer, her head against his shoulder as they cried. For a single second Ginny felt a twinge of jealousy, of anger really, knowing she no longer had that. A strange feeling crept over her and a shudder raced down her spine, the feeling similar to that of being watched. She turned her head this way and that way, looking out over the sea of faces, but none stuck out at her at all. Turning back around, she felt a hand against her knee, fluttering and gentle, reminding her of him. She turned and found Remus to be the one reaching out, his hand hesitantly laying over her knee, his eyes soft as he silently seemed to ask if she too was going to step up to the podium. But what was there left to say? Had it not all been said?

But, she rose up anyways, stepping up behind the wooden podium, looking out to the hundreds of people waiting with baited breath for her to speak. "Harry is… Harry _was_ …." She fell silent, shaking her head slightly, red hair falling across her shoulders as she took a deep breath. "Harry was a lot more than just a hero to the wizarding world. He was a young man with dreams that didn't involve fighting battles and winning a war. He wanted to live in a house with a family. He wanted children. He wanted to be an Auror and make changes to the department. He wanted to spend his days without thinking of who was going to die next or when the next battle was going to be. But… He told me often that'd he'd give up all of his dreams, every single one of them, if it meant the end of the war." She paused, eyes sweeping over every familiar face in the front three rows, and felt the twinge of a smile toying with her lips. "We can't let his death be in vain. He may be gone but his legacy will live on through us." A cheer went up from the back, echoed by someone in the middle, until suddenly everyone in the crowd was clapping as she returned to her seat, dropping into it and falling silent. Remus stood back up and offered a few closing words, but by then Ginny had completely stopped listening. She had made a decision then, one that meant she would do as she had said in her speech: she would not let his death be in vain.

She would find a way to make a difference, no matter the cost.


	4. Chapter 4

The night was incredibly dark.

It had begun to rain and the clouds rolled over the sky, blocking out both the moon and the stars; the wind was raging, howling, whipping her hair all about. She reached up a hand, trying to keep it in place, but to no avail and she instead gave up. She cast her gaze towards the east and decided it was time to turn in, as there was nothing left she was going to do that night.

She had been gone three days now, off tailing after the werewolf Greyback; he had been on the move daily, meeting with low level Death Eaters, discussing everything from the Dark Lord to the missions those men were on. So far, she hadn't learned much she didn't already know: the Dark Lord was searching for _something_ (though she'd yet to uncover what it was) and he had not yet made a move against Neville Longbottom. From the whispers she'd overheard, it seemed as if Voldemort did not view him as any sort of threat at all. She had also overheard her own name being brought up more than once- sometimes in anger from Greyback himself, other times in conversation. She knew that Voldemort thought her a threat, more so than Neville at least, and had ordered her to be brought to him alive should any Death Eater catch her.

Deciding it was time to return home, Ginny had pulled the hood of her cloak back up into place and made to turn to go, but was stopped by the hushed tones of Greyback. "The Dark Lord says otherwise." She caught him mid-sentence and she turned back, crouching low as she tried to stay as small as possible, hoping to go unnoticed. The last thing she wanted was a battle. "He don't believe he's dead." Ginny felt her stomach turnover. Who were they talking about? The Death Eater responded, his vocals too low for Ginny to make out, and she heard Greyback scoff. "We all saw him die. Body or no body, we all saw the light go out of his eyes." Greyback chuckled and the Death Eater responded, stepping a little closer, his mask still pulled over his face, shielding it from her sight. "No, no… The Dark Lord has his reasons. He'll get Potter to come out, if he really is alive." Greyback responded, but he sounded skeptical. "I'm telling you though, the boy is dead. His people buried him. He's dead. Why the Dark Lord is still hung up on him, I don't know. Anyways, my job isn't to worry about that. I'm supposed to be catching that bloody Weasley girl."

Voldemort… He thought Harry was alive? Ginny could feel her heart thumping wildly inside of her chest, so loudly she feared Greyback might hear it. But, luckily for her the wind continued to howl and thunder rumbled overhead. "Not gonna find nothing out here tonight in this mess, anyways." The other Death Eater finally spoke words that she could hear and she blinked, forcing herself to remain still as a statue. "I'm turning in." Greyback nodded and they exchanged a few last words before Greyback was gone from the spot, returning to who knows where. A moment of silence and Ginny was prepared to watch the other Death Eater disappear as well, but to her surprise he raised a hand, removing the mask from his face. Stormy gray eyes peered out into the darkness and she caught her breath, realizing a second later just who was standing there: Draco Malfoy. "I know you're there." He called out after a moment and she nearly jumped from her skin. After several seconds of internal debate, Ginny rose, stepping out from her hiding place, the hood of her cloak still pulled up. The rain was falling harder then, soaking the both of them through their heavy cloaks. Her wand clutched tightly in her hand, she murmured the word and at once her wand tip ignited, casting a beam of light between them. "It's been awhile."

Ginny chuckled and pulled her hood down, revealing to him her magnificent head of red hair, turned a shade or so darker from the rain. "It has." She replied, reaching out a hand to take Draco's, clasping it in a quick gesture of greeting. Though hard to believe, Draco Malfoy was on their side; they had met on one of her missions over a year ago and he'd saved her life. After that, she'd brought him back to the Burrow and he'd taken on the risky role of being a mole. He continued to live his life as if he were a Death Eater, but relayed every piece of information back to the Order. Back to her. "I was worried when you missed our last meeting."

Draco surveyed the young woman before him, her usually fierce brown eyes were tinged with sadness, her frame looking thin beneath the cloak she wore. Potter's death wore heavy on her, that much was certain, though it seemed she tried hard not to let it show. "I couldn't get away," he replied, reaching up to run a hand through his soaking wet locks, pushing them back away from his features. "I'm sorry I missed the funeral." He knew he risked upsetting her, mentioning the funeral, but he could not help but to apologize for not being there. He and Potter had never been best of friends but they had developed a sense of respect for one another over the last year. And Potter had come to him to thank him for risking it all to save Ginny that time.

"It's fine," she turned away then, telling him that she didn't want to talk about it. "What's new? What was Greyback talking about?"

"You're in danger, that's what." Draco said, his tone taking on a serious tone. "Really, Gin." His use of her nickname caught her attention and she turned back to him, pinning him with her intense stare. "The Dark Lord himself wants you captured and Greyback is mad with thoughts of revenge." He watched as her lips twitched with a smirk and he could not help but to sigh. There was no talking sense to the girl, after all. Voldemort himself could be standing before her with his wand pointed at her chest and she would still feel no fear, it seemed. Losing Harry had made her a bit more reckless. "You're the number one target right now, along with a few high ups in the Order. Now that Harry's gone, the Dark Lord wants to take out ones who cause him the most problems." Of course Ginny topped that list. In the weeks since Harry's death, she had busted numerous plots and helped take multiple Death Eaters into custody. He glanced down and the sparkle of the diamond ring on her finger caught his eye and he wondered how badly she must hurt inside. Instead of taking time to grieve, she had thrown herself into the war full throttle, and had never once looked back.

"We're all in danger. You more than anyone else," she retorted, reminding him that should he ever be caught, death would be welcomed after what would happen to him. "Besides that isn't what I was talking about." Of course it wasn't. Draco sighed again and shook his head, running a hand through his hair again- a nervous gesture of his she had seen before. "Tell me, Draco."

"The Dark Lord… He thinks… Well, he thinks Harry is still alive." He watched her face closely and saw that there was no change to her expression; no igniting of hope, no flicker of surprise or faith, just nothing at all. She knew better than to get her hopes up. "He thinks because the body disappeared so quickly… That he didn't actually die." He paused, wondering if he should voice everything. He knew more and he worried telling her the rest would send her into a frenzy. But, he sighed and went on, knowing she would kill him if she found out he was withholding information from her. "He also has had visions, like he always had." He closely watched her but still, saw no change to her expression. "He sees Harry as he always had. But the images are blurry and dark. He doesn't understand them anymore than the rest of us." Ginny shifted her weight from foot to foot then, tilting her head, her curtain of red hair falling across a shoulder. "No one else is convinced, of course. We all saw… We all saw him die." she flinched at those words but remained silent. "He's just hung up on him because of all the history, you know?" Ginny nodded, still silent, looking up at the sky as the thunder crashed and the lightning flashed. "You should go." He said then and she looked back at him, nodding again after a few moments of silence. "Take care of yourself." Without warning, he reached out, slipping his arms around her, embracing her gently. She sagged against him, her arms coming around him seconds later, her face pressed against his chest.

"You too, Draco," she said when she pulled back, lifting her hand to wave goodbye. He watched her as she took another several steps back and raised her want, disappearing on the spot with the quiet little _pop_. When she had gone he too raised his wand, disappearing from the spot as she had just seconds before.

Neither had been aware of the eyes watching them from a distance away.

[ x x x ]

She had not told anyone else about what Draco had told her. No, she simply had not seen the reasoning. Without knowing anything as fact, she didn't want to excite anyone or make it into something that it wasn't. and so, she kept the knowledge of Voldemort's worries to herself and went on about her days. She allowed her mother to fuss over her, allowed her brothers to pester her, and went on with her life as if the meeting had never even taken place. Her mother had been beside herself when she'd finally returned home after those three days and had not let her out from her sight for nearly a week before finally relenting and Ginny escaped the Burrow, heading to none other than Hogsmeade. She could not quite say what led her there but she supposed she would find out when she got there. She had stopped off to visit Madame Rosmerta and have a quick drink before making her way down the cobblestone road. Being a Tuesday, there was next to no one about, and certainly no students from Hogwarts. In the years since the war had progressed, Hogsmeade trips had become less and less frequent until they had more or less stopped altogether. Some shops were boarded up and some still remained open as if nothing in the world had changed. Ginny supposed they, like everyone else, needed to hold onto at least something constant and familiar in their lives.

As she wandered the streets, stopping in at various shops, she could not shake the feeling that someone was watching her. She kept her eyes open and her hand in her pocket, fingers wrapped tightly around her wand, and kept moving. There was no one around, so why did she feel like that? Continuing on her way, she found she was drawn towards the Shrieking Shack, an old, sort of rundown building that had once been used to shield Remus Lupin during his monthly changes to a werewolf. The building had a history of being haunted, but in truth the ghostly screams the villagers had heard had belonged to Lupin himself. There was no entrance to the shack aside from the tunnel beneath the Whomping Willow, which lay upon the school grounds, but she decided to press on anyways. Walking up the rocky, dirt path, she stood at the top to gaze out towards the shack, the wind catching her hair.

Once again, she felt eyes upon her and she turned to the left, staring out across the way, as if she expected to see someone standing there. But, there was no one. She turned back and continued on her way, carefully treading along the rocky slope. She finally stepped out onto the grassy slope that the shack stood upon and she went closer, circling around the building, chills racing down her spine. She came to a stop at the back, where she had gone completely out of sight, and remained stock still, listening to the wind as it howled around her. She could understand why the villagers thought the building to be haunted- regardless of knowing the truth of its history, the place gave her the creeps.

 _Ginny…_

She gasped, spinning around, swearing she had heard someone softly calling out to her. She remained standing there, still and silent, listening intently to the world around her. But there was nothing but the wind. Had she… Had she only imagined it? _Ginny…_ There it was again! And it was a voice she knew and knew well. Her skipped a beat and she tried to tell herself she was losing her mind. This was not possible. It all had an explanation. She was creeped out by the place, she was tired, she was grieving. There were so many possible answers other than the one she kept circling back to.

"Ginny…" No, this time she had not imagined it. She felt her heart stop in her chest and she sucked in a breath, eyes closing as she slowly revolved on the spot. As she came to a stop, facing back the way she'd been facing originally, she let out the breath and opened her eyes. He stood before her, raven hair a mess and too long, but it was him. "Ginny." His familiar vocals cracked on the syllables of her name and the world around her began to spin. Her knees began to shake and just as they were about to give out, he was there, wrapping his arms around her, holding her up as she felt the tears spilling down her cheeks. He was kissing her then, his palms cupping either side of her face, breaking the kiss a moment later to stare her in the face, his emerald eyes full of emotion.

"I can't believe this." She whispered as he swiped his thumb across her cheeks, erasing the tears as they fell from her eyes. "I thought… You were… We all…" She stammered over the words, shaking her head, trying to wrap her mind around what was happening. Harry was here. Harry was alive! "I saw you buried! Ron and Hermione, they saw you die!" She was panicking then, her mind kicking into high gear, and she pulled back, a shaking hand raising her wand up. How did she know this wasn't a trick? Draco had told her that she was a target to Voldemort- how did she know this wasn't a Death Eater in disguise. But it had _felt_ like him. It was all so familiar to her, that feeling that simply could not be faked. "I don't believe this."

Harry could not blame her- he knew that feeling, of being uncertain, of not knowing if something was true or not. Of being unable to trust what was right before his eyes. "Ginny…" He called out to her softly, his emerald eyes finding her brown, eyes he had never once forgotten. "Remember that day by the lake?" He smiled sheepishly, watching as the flicker of the memory crossed her features. "When I was in the sixth year and you were in fifth. We were out there so late and Ron and Hermione came looking for us…" He laughed, remembering how they had scrambled to put themselves back together, how Ginny had been blushing to the roots of her hair and he had thought Ron might actually kill him. She was staring at him then, as if daring herself to believe what he was saying, but then it all clicked and she was flinging herself into his arms.

"I don't understand!" She was saying between kissing him, torn between love and punching him square in the jaw. Love luckily won out and she held his face with her hands as his roamed her body, trailing down her sides, fingertips feeling the grooves of her ribs, palms feeling the sharp points of her hips. Harry felt guilt rising within him as he realized he was the cause of all of those things. He had caused her so much pain, so much sorrow… "Does anyone else know? Ron, Hermione?"

Harry shook his head then, reaching a hand up to brush a lock of hair away from her freckled features. "No, one but Remus knows." He admitted finally, a sigh escaping him. "It was the only way." He went on to say, his hand lowering to snake around her waist, pulling her closer to him. "I needed everyone to think I was dead, I needed _him_ to think I was dead." He explained and she nodded, her mind still racing with everything that was unfolding before him. "But then I overheard you and Malfoy and I knew he didn't think…" He trailed off, watching as her eyes widened, as she realized he had been there that night. Now she could understand the feeling of being watched all these weeks.

"You were at your own funeral," she interrupted, poking an accusing finger into his chest, surveying him with her intense stare. His eyes widened then, unsure how she could have possibly known that. "I knew it." She said then, taking his silence as a yes, and she tilted her head to the side. "You should have told me." She said unhappily, folding her arms over her chest, head turned slightly to the side. He put his other arm around her and drew her close to his chest, breathing in her sweet, familiar scent.

"I needed it to be believable. I needed them to see you hurting." He said softly, hating himself for causing her and the others so much agony. "I'm sorry, Gin. I never wanted to hurt you but you understand, right?" After a long moment, she nodded, and he felt her arms come around him. "I have to stay hidden, just a little while longer… You can't tell the others, not yet anyways." She drew back at that and for a moment he thought she might fight him but then she sighed and nodded, though unhappy as she was to agree. "I promise it won't be much longer. Then I can explain everything." She nodded and returned to his arms, savoring what moments she had with him if she could not yet have him back. "I just couldn't stay away from you another moment." He breathed the words into her ear, his lips nipping at her earlobe, and she tilted her head back, shivering as his lips trailed kisses from her ear down her neck and towards her collarbone.

With nimble hands he unfastened her cloak and it fell to the ground at their feet; he put his hands to her shoulders, holding her at arms length in order to really get a good look at her. She was thin, much thinner than she had been the last time he'd even seen her from afar. He was certain that her mother would be beside herself with worry. He lifted up a hand, placing it against her cheek, his eyes brightening as he watched her lips curve with a smile. "I've missed you." He said as he leaned in to kiss her again, his hands falling down to her hips, where they began to toy with the hem of the top she wore. She murmured a response but he could not make it out as she put her mouth to his neck, her breath warm against his skin. He felt the sharp pain that was her biting him and he could not help but to chuckle as he slid his hands up beneath her shirt. Her skin was warm and soft as he trailed his hands up her spine and back down again. Her hands were moving then, yanking his shirt over his head, nearly knocking his glasses askew in her hurry.

In moments they had undressed one another and Harry drew her down to the ground, her cloak beneath them. It was as if they were in school once again and enjoying a quick, passionate moment beside the lake… or in the library… Or wherever else that they had gone a little too far. He trailed kisses from her mouth down her collarbone and across her breasts, down to her sunken abdomen as his hand pinned hers down over her head. "Harry…" His name was a moan leaving her lips as she arched her back, her brown eyes smoldering when they looked upon him seconds later. He grinned down at her and positioned himself over her, pushing himself into her a moment later. She gave a little gasp, a sound he had always loved, and rocked against him, grinding her pelvis into his. He looked down over her, knowing in his heart that he was so incredibly lucky to have her. There was no one more important to him than her. There was no one else he wanted to win the war for more than her. He wanted to end things and start a life with her, with the beautiful, passionate, intelligent woman that she had become.

An hour later, they both stood fully dressed, neither one wanting to be the one to say goodbye. "I'll finish things soon." He said, still holding fast to her hand, watching as she turned away, her profile obscured as the wind blew her hair all about. He reached out, tucking a stray strand of hair behind an ear and she turned to face him, smiling, the sadness he had once seen in her eyes gone. "I promise you, we'll be together again." A nod and she embraced him, knowing without a doubt that he was telling her the truth. "Bye, Gin." He murmured, and she felt his hand slip from hers as he stepped back, pulling the invisibility cloak from his knapsack. He disappeared from her sight but she continued to stare after him, knowing his every move despite being unable to see him. She watched for what felt like an eternity, until she knew it was time for her to go as well. Turning, she came around to the front side of the Shrieking Shack and raised her wand, disappearing from the spot with a little _pop._

Suddenly, the world seemed a little bit brighter.


	5. Chapter 5

In the days following her meeting with Harry, she had tried her best to continue playing the part of a grieving young woman. She had settled back into her normal routine of locking herself away, of working mission after mission until she was so tired she thought she'd collapse. No one seemed to notice any difference and for that she was thankful.

And so, like any other night, she went out on a mission.

It was a standard mission; she was out stalking after Greyback, who over the last two nights had attacked several Muggles and one young wizard. He was losing his grip on reality it seemed and Voldemort was not about to reign him in. So, Ginny made the decision to do it herself. He had to be stopped and it had to be soon. And that was how she found herself trailing after him well past midnight, darting around trees as he trekked through a forest in western Europe. She didn't even know where they were or what he was doing. All she knew was he had spoken to a Death Eater earlier that night and had told them he was coming to this place to meet someone. Who, she did not know, but she figured she would find out when they arrived. Greyback finally slowed to a stop and she took refuge behind a tall oak tree, catching her breath from the hour of running she had just done.

"Greyback."

The sharp, tenor vocals were like a douse of icy cold water. Chills raced down her spine and she did not need to peer out to the dark to know who stood there. As she glanced around the tree trunk, she could see Voldemort's red eyes reflecting the moonlight as he looked upon Greyback. She swallowed and kept a tight grip on her wand. Greyback she could take on, but Voldemort himself was an entirely different story. "You've brought me what I asked for?" Voldemort asked then, bringing Ginny back from her own thoughts. Greyback's response must have been a nod for there was a beat of silence and then Voldemort was speaking again. "Good," the single word came forth like a chuckle and Ginny heard the sound of hallow footsteps. She pressed her back to the tree trunk, her heart hammering hard inside of her chest, pulse racing at her wrist. Something was about to happen, she could feel it.

Suddenly, all around her was an explosion; she dropped to her knees, arms over her head, trying to shield herself from the splintering wood that rained down upon her. At once laughter filled her brain and she snapped up, finding herself face to face with both Greyback and Voldemort. "Miss Weasley…" Voldemort greeted with a malicious grin, his red eyes gleaming in the light of Greyback's wand. "It has been quite some time since we last met like this." It was as if she were eleven years old once again, writing in a diary that wrote back to her. She could still recall how charming he had been, how kind and understanding he had seemed to be. She could still remember how frightening he became as he pulled himself from that diary. She remembered every single moment of her time spent with Voldemort, with Tom Riddle.

"Not long enough," she retorted, earning her a laugh from both men. Voldemort stepped closer to her, surveying her intently, his wand in hand.

"Still as impudent as ever, it would seem." Voldemort replied, his eerily calm voice like nails against a chalkboard. He circled around her, coming to a stop right before her, hands clasped behind him, wand still clutched between his long, white fingers. "I'd like to offer you a choice, Miss Weasley. One that I think you should readily accept." It was her turn to laugh- it escaped her before she could stop it and she saw at once how Voldemort's nostrils flared, how his eyes narrowed into slits. Clearly he did not like being laughed at. "You laugh now, but you will not be laughing long." Before she could blink, he had pulled his wand on her, the force of his silent curse enough to send her to her knees. "Tell me where Harry Potter is and I shall spare your life. Or don't… And I will make you wish for death." He was smiling again, that malicious smile of a monster that sent chills down her spine, but she remained silent, gritting her teeth against the pain of the curse. "Nothing?" He asked her a moment later to which she shook her head, brown eyes blazing, the looking behind them startling to him. Those were not the eyes he remembered from the Chamber of Secrets. "We shall see if I can… _Persuade_ you." Greyback stepped up then but Voldemort waved him back, turning to face her completely, his wand raising up, the familiar flick of his wrist giving her a moment to prepare for what was to come. "Crucio."

Having dealt with the Forbidden Curse before, Ginny had an idea of what was going to happen, but nothing in the world could have prepared her for the pain behind Voldemort's cast of it. It was said that one had to truly mean it when they used the curse- the stronger the anger, the stronger the curse. Lucius Malfoy's had been nothing compared to this. She fell face first into the dirt, shredding her lower lip to keep herself from screaming out loud. She would not give him the satisfaction of hearing her scream. After a few moments the pain subsided and she was able to catch her breath as she lay there at his feet. "Let me ask you again… Where is Harry Potter?" Voldemort's cool tones filtered through her brain and she blinked, raising her head up off the ground; palms to the dirt, she pushed herself back up, panting as her limbs screamed in protest. "Do not make me ask again, Miss Weasley." This was it, wasn't it? Ginny realized as she glanced from Voldemort to Greyback, she was probably going to die this night. But she would not die a traitor. She would never tell him anything. Voldemort sighed, as if he were bored by her, and she knew it was coming a moment before he spoke the word. "Crucio."

The second wave of the curse hit her hard and she was back on the ground, fingernails scraping the ground as she fought against the urge to cry out. From above her, Voldemort watched as she writhed in agony at his feet, honestly impressed that she did not scream nor even cry. He had driven more than one wizard mad by his Cruciatus Curse, and yet this girl was fighting back. Lucius had not been lying when he had said there was something different about the girl. He could remember her from years before, when she had been nothing more than a little girl writing in her diary. She had been frightened but she had a strong spirit that gave him strength like never before. He had wanted to feast on her whole soul. As the curse subsided, he was surprised as she struggled back up yet again, her red hair falling over her shoulders, her freckled cheeks dirty but her eyes fierce. He would break her and he would love doing it. "Harry is dead." She whispered, her voice cracking as she rose to a standing position, though her knees were wobbling as she fought to stay upright. Voldemort chuckled, growing more and more amused by this young woman as the moment's went on. "You yourself killed him, or have you forgotten?"

"He's alive." Voldemort replied with a shrug, turning away from her a moment to pace back and forth before her, his robes fluttering. "I saw him with you!" He lashed out as he turned back to her, coming so close that his face was inches from her own, his crimson eyes dark with fury. Ginny sucked in a breath, her heart thumping wildly inside her chest, her eyes widening slightly. "He gave himself away." Voldemort continued, calming himself down as he straightened his spine, though he never took his eyes from her face. "Love struck Potter simply could not stay away from you… I have been seeing flashes of him, as he sees flashes of me… But they have been blurry, unclear… However when he saw you… It was the clearest image I have seen." He reached out a hand, cupping her cheek in his palm as Harry had done that day; a flicker of something crossed her features and he smirked. "So I will ask you one last time: where is Harry Potter?"

Something cold gripped her heart and Ginny knew that whatever words she said next, whatever actions she took would decide her life. A small smile tugged at her lips but then it faded and she squared her shoulders, holding her head high as he drew his hand back, waiting quietly for her to respond to his last threat. There were no words that left her lips though, instead, she spit at his feet. An angry cry escaped him and Ginny knew that she had sealed her fate. But, at least she had kept him safe.

[ x x x ]

Harry woke from a dream.

It had been of Voldemort and he had been angry, more angry than he had been in a long time. His scar was prickling as he sat up, running a hand through his messy hair. He traced his fingertips over the lightning bolt shaped scar, a chill racing down his spine; something about the dream left him feeling far more uneasy than any other one had before. Voldemort was angry at someone… He tried to remember the details of the dream, but it had been dark and blurry. He had been interrogating someone and the person, whoever they were, would not spill a single detail. They had not even screamed when Voldemort had used the Cruciatus Curse.

He rose from his bed, wandering over to the window; he was in an old safe house of the Order, one quite near to Hogsmeade, one that was thought to have burned down years ago. He thought of her and the others often… He wondered how she was doing. He wondered how Ron and Hermione were. Remus was supposed to be coming the next day and he always brought news of the others, but… He wished that he could see them instead. However, he knew that this was for the best, and he could only hope that they would forgive him for pretending to be dead all this time.

As he stared out the window, he caught sight of a figure that had suddenly appeared in the distance. His heart skipped a beat and he reached for his wand that lay on the table beside the bed. Back at the window, he watched as the figure crossed the yard, the gait familiar to him, so much so that he did not even need to see the man's face to know it was him. "Lupin." He greeted at the door once their secret question was asked and he had let the man in; Lupin looked pale and haggard, as if he had been traveling for days, as if he had not slept in weeks. "What is it?" He knew that something was wrong long before the older man had even opened his mouth to speak. His heart was hammering hard inside of his chest, a cold dread settling into the pit of his stomach. "What's happened?"

Remus had thought long and hard about how to tell Harry what he had to tell him; no matter how he went about it, Harry would take it hard. "Harry, it's Ginny…" He paused, watching as the young man's face turned white, his emerald eyes widening. "They've got her." Harry sank back into the chair behind him, running his hands over his face, something cold taking root in his heart. "This arrived late last night." Remus extended his hand and Harry looked up, taking from him a folded up piece of paper. Attached to it was a long lock of red hair and words were scrolled across the page in a hand he did not recognize. _Send us Potter or she dies._ Harry looked up at Remus and in his hand he crumpled up the parchment, rising up from his chair to cross the room. He began to stuff his feet back into his sneakers, already fully dressed as he had slept in his clothes, and he turned back to Remus.

"It's time I come back to life."

[ x x x ]

Everything was hazy…

Was she… Was she alive? Groaning, she rolled over, the floor hard and cold beneath her body. Blinking, she slowly came to, and Ginny realized that yes, she was very much alive. Every inch of her hurt, every part of her screamed in objection as she pushed herself up into a sitting position. Voldemort had not been lying when he had said she would wish she were dead. The torture he had inflicted had felt like an eternity, and then when he was done, he'd let Greyback take a turn. The hours she'd spent beneath both the Cruciatus Curse as well as any other they'd felt like using on her had been the longest of her life.

Now, she woke in a dungeon, dark and damp, her head spinning with even the slightest of movements. They had not killed her… But why? Harry, of course. Ginny knew exactly what they had planned now: to use her to get to him. She could almost guarantee that Voldemort would have already reached out to the others in order to get the message to Harry. She could vaguely remember someone snipping off a piece of her hair and she could only assume that was the reason why. Despite the pain that it caused her, she rose to her feet, stumbling across the dungeon to the door, where she grasped at the bars, panting. She peered out into the hallway, but it was empty; she was alone. Pushing back from it, she moved back to the place she'd been laying, and sat back down, her head aching so badly she had to bite her lip to keep from crying out.

Sitting back against the wall, she tipped her head back, feeling the queasy feeling that accompanied passing out; she could not stop it, could not prevent it. Falling sideways, she went limp as the darkness consumed her yet again.

[ x x x ]

"Ginny…"

Someone was… Calling out to her?

"Ginny…?" A touch to her shoulder, a touch warm and gentle, and she forced her eyes open. Brown met gray and she knew who it was beside her. "Thank Merlin, you're alive," Draco whispered, assisting her to sit up, his stomach tightening as he watched her go pale, the pain she was in quite apparent. "I can't stay long." He murmured, reaching out to offer her a small cup of water. She drank it down with a little help and he glanced over his shoulder, listening closely for any sound of footsteps approaching. "How are you?" It was a stupid question, he knew, but his heart felt relief as she chuckled in spite of him. "Dumb, I know." He admitted with a grin, though it quickly vanished at the sound of footsteps. He was rising up to his feet as the dungeon door swung open and light flooded in.

"Don't start without me, Malfoy." Greyback's vocals filled her head and she inwardly groaned, knowing without a doubt that something awful was to follow. "Well, come on, get her up." Draco turned back to face her, an apologetic look to his eyes as he reached down, roughly yanking her up by the forearm. He pulled her out the dungeon door and into the hall, keeping his eyes adverted as they followed Greyback down the hall and up a flight of stairs. Ginny felt her legs threatening to give way beneath her but she stumbled on as Draco more or less dragged her on, his hand warm against her skin. "This way." Greyback ordered, gesturing for them to follow him down another hall. Had she not been aching so, Ginny might have paid attention to the grand manor she was being pulled through- it was Malfoy Manor. It's walls were covered in portraits of the family, stretching back hundreds of years. The portraits eyes watched as the trio made their way down the halls, only to come to a stop in front of a set of grand double doors. "Well, go inside," Greyback said, allowing Draco and her to slip past, and he followed in after them.

Inside the room, with his back to them, was Voldemort; he stood at the fireplace, watching the flames as they danced before him, casting eerie shadows across the floorboards. He did not move as they entered, he did not speak as Draco placed her right behind him as he was bid to do by Greyback. "Leave us." Voldemort's cold, commanding voice then sounded a moment later, and though he was hesitant to do so, Draco stepped away from her. He spared her only a single glance as he walked out of the room, knowing Greyback was watching, and he was surprised to see her standing there with her head held high, not a single ounce of fear in her eyes. When the door had closed and it was only the two of them left, Voldemort turned on the spot to face her; his red eyes took in the sight of her, tousled hair and pale face, her pain evident though she certainly was trying to hide it. She still had that damned, determined look to her eyes that made him want to crush her skull with his own hands. "Harry Potter is alive." Nothing changed in her expression, she remained passive, though her gaze still intense. "But you already knew that." He tilted his head slightly before taking a single step towards her, a hand reaching out. He traced one finger along her cheek and down her jaw, eyes taking in the sight of her. How he longed to crush her beneath his palms. How he longed to show her bloodied corpse to Potter and see his face when he saw what he had done. "I should kill you right here…" He muttered, shaking his head as he drew his hand back, staring into her eyes as he fought the urge to lash out. "He will come for you though, and when he does, I will kill you right before his eyes and then I will kill him for real this time." A smile curved his lips up and he retreated back to his place by the fireplace. "Greyback!" He called out and the door opened and once again Greyback entered, coming to stand by Voldemort, a wicked smile plastered to his features. "She's yours." Greyback's smile widened as he turned to her with his wand raised, and Ginny felt her stomach twist into a knot. So, her suffering was far from over it would seem. She held her breath and braced herself; this was for Harry and she would not give in.


	6. Chapter 6

He hated waiting.

He hated sitting there, doing nothing, while Ginny was out there somewhere, in the hands of Voldemort and his Death Eaters. It was all his fault, he knew that now, he never should have met with her that day. He had only himself to blame for whatever happened to her. He knew he would never forgive himself for putting her into harm's way like that.

For the last five days he'd been back at the Burrow, where he had spent hours trying to explain himself to everyone. Hermione had screamed when she first saw him and Ron had gone pale, but then they had embraced him and taken him back into their group as if he had never even left. He had tried to explain his reasoning behind faking his own death- that he had hoped if Voldemort thought he was dead, he'd come out more into the open, giving him a better chance at striking him down. It had not worked, obviously, and now things were so much worse. No one blamed him of course, Ron and the others had all made that very clear. Ginny was a target all on her own, Remus had explained to him that first night, but nothing would ever take away the immense guilt he felt. He only hoped that he would reach her in time before anything truly awful happened to her.

In the wee hours of the sixth day, just before the sun was to rise over the horizon, he received some answers. Draco arrived at the Burrow, dressed in a cloak with its hood pulled up over his platinum colored hair. "Harry," he greeted with a quick handshake when the dark-haired male met him at the door, the other Order members gathered behind him in the kitchen. Like everyone else, his expression was momentarily that of a man who had seen a ghost, but then he sobered and followed him into the kitchen, taking both the seat and cup of tea offered to him. "I know where she is." He spoke as soon as he had taken a single sip from the mug, his gray orbs sweeping over the faces within the room. It had seemed most of the Weasley family had gathered for this meeting; Ginny's parents, her older twin brothers, Ron, Hermione, and of course Harry all sat around the table, along with Remus and Tonks, waiting to hear whatever it was that Draco had to say.

"Where is she?"

"Is she alright?"

"Is she hurt?"

The questions were flung at him from every angle and he raised a hand to silence them all; as soon as it was quiet he turned his gaze to Harry, who had voiced the very first question, asking where she was. "She's at my parent's place, Malfoy Manor." He then turned to shoot a quick glance at Arthur and Molly, who beneath the table clutched at each other's hands, their fear and concern for their daughter quite evident. "She's alive," he answered in a roundabout way, not really certain he wanted to give them all of the details about what was happening to her. He recalled the last time he had seen her, only a few hours before, laying unconscious on the floor of the dark prison cell they had been keeping her in. Greyback had outdone himself during the last torture session, leaving her barely breathing, so angry he was at her for something she had either said or had done. "But we need to get her out of there and fast." He finally said, turning back to pin his gaze onto Harry. "I can get you in, but it won't be easy."

Harry nodded, feeling his anger surging; he could see from Draco's expression that whatever was happening to her was not good. "When can we go?" He looked to Ron and to Hermione, both of whom were already nodding, already on the edges of their seats.

"Right now."

[ x x x ]

Breaking into Malfoy Manor was easier than he had anticipated, too easy really.

Draco led them quickly and quietly through a back door and into a foyer; a statue of a man was off to the left and a portrait of he and his family hung on the wall to the right. It was older, when Draco was but a small boy, and even then he was unsmiling with eyes of smoldering gray. Harry turned his attention back to the blonde, who had paused, listening intently for any sounds of footsteps or voices. "She's down in the dungeon below," he said quietly, gesturing for them to follow after him. They went out of the entryway and down a hall, pausing every now and again to merely listen, to ensure they could safely move on. It wasn't until they approached a doorway that led to a stairway that Draco stopped, his eyes widening, his hand outstretched to keep them from walking on. "Shh…" He put a finger to his lips as he took a step forwards, peering around the corner they'd just come from, only to see two low level Death Eaters coming towards them. "Go! I'll catch up with you! The door will open with an unlocking charm." He said before urging them to go on, turning his back to them just as the Death Eaters turned the corner. Being so early in the morning, it was no surprise that his father or Greyback had the minions tending to Ginny. "I'm on duty," Draco said loudly, his voice carrying to muffle the sounds of the trio's footsteps on the staircase.

The trio were dumped off the staircase into another corridor, this one lined with a dozen or so doors, all of which were dungeons he was certain of. At the very end of the hall one door stood out and somehow, without looking inside, Harry knew that Ginny was inside it. "Come on," he gestured for them to follow him and they sprinted down the hall, reaching the door in only a few moments. Hermione raised her wand and tapped the handle twice, uttering the spell, and to their amazement they all heard the _click_ of the lock as it unlocked. Reaching out, Harry pushed open the door, and the three stepped inside.

Ginny had heard the footsteps.

She was sitting against the wall, her body too tired and too sore for her to do much else. Her head continually ached and she missed her mother. She missed everyone. In truth, she had become resigned to the fact she would probably die here, though she had wished she'd taken the time to bid her family goodbye before her last mission. She supposed everyone had regrets before they died, she just wished hers did not involve those she loved. Hearing those footsteps, her heart had sunk, and she knew they were coming for her again. It was only a matter of time before they took her life- she was weak and sinking fast, they all knew it. Repeated torture sessions would do that to a person, after all. And so, as the door to the cell flung open and the light flooded in, she could do nothing but sit there and wait for them to drag her upstairs to what would certainly be another session of torture.

The first thing that Harry saw was her. She was sitting, propped up against the wall, looking pale and weak. His heart plummeted to his knees as the light shifted and he caught sight of her face, bruised and bloody, and then his anger surged. "Ginny?" He called out softly to her and she stirred, her eyes opening as she turned her head to look at them. "Close the door," he said to Hermione, who let it close with a soft _thump_ and he stepped closer, beckoning for Ron to follow him. "It's me… It's us." She blinked, trying to focus on each of their faces, and then a smile began to spread across her broken features.

The three of them knelt down before her and before a moment passed Ron had leaned forward, gently taking her into his arms. "Ginny," he breathed, tears filling his eyes and threatening to spill over as he held onto his sister. "Are you alright?" He asked as he drew back, holding her at arms length. The question was stupid, he knew that, but she was nodding, still smiling as she looked into his face. "We're gonna get you out of here." He looked to Harry, who nodded, and then took his moment with her, drawing her close to him.

Footsteps sounded and they all turned to look, the trio with their wands out, prepared for a fight, but to their relief it was Draco who stood there, panting hard. "You have to go," he said quickly, striding into the room, leaving the door open. "They'll be coming." He looked over their shoulders to Ginny, who he could see had already suffered another torture session since he had last come to her. "Now!" The trio all jumped up and Hermione reached out a hand, helping Ginny to her feet, offering her an arm to cling to, helping her to stay up on her feet. The four slipped out of the dungeon door with Draco following closely behind, pulling the door shut and locking it back. They did not have long, that much was certain.

They moved as quickly as they could down the hall, but Harry could see that Ginny was not going to make it at a run. "Wait," he slowed to a stop and turned to Ron, shooting a glance at Ginny, who had gone pale and was breathing hard, her eyes far too bright in her face. Ron at once understood and he knelt down, gesturing for Ginny to climb onto his back. She hesitated for only a moment, until Hermione urged her to move, and she did as she was bid, climbing up onto her brother's back. He slipped his arms beneath her knees and stood, finding his balance, well aware of how lightweight his sister had become. Between "losing" Harry and fighting nonstop, her weight had plummeted. And he, too caught up in his own grief and missions had not even noticed. He vowed he would do better to protect her and take care of her from then on. They went on, taking to the stairs at a run, quietly as they could, and had managed to make it down one hallway before the flash of a spell went whizzing by.

Turning sharply, Harry and the others found themselves face-to-face with Lucius Malfoy, Fenrir Greyback, and a handful of other Death Eaters. Beside him, Draco stiffened, and Harry knew that the punishment for turning his back on his family would be death, should they capture him. "Harry Potter, back from the dead to perform a rescue mission, eh?" Greyback chuckled, looking from one face to the next, until his gaze came to rest upon Draco. "Looks like your son is a traitor, Malfoy." Malfoy senior was pale with fury, his gaze dark and stormy as he looked upon his only son standing among the others. "That girl ain't yours for the taking, Potter." Greyback went on, turning his attention back to the emerald-eyed male in the center of the group, his wand gripped tightly in his hand at his side. Harry felt his scar prickle and he knew, without a doubt, that Voldemort was on his way. They had to act fast.

"She's not yours for keeping, either." Harry replied, anger giving his words a sharper tone. Greyback chuckled and raised his wand, no need for more words he had clearly decided. The room was then ablaze with curses and spells, the few lowly Death Eaters being the first to step up to fight.

Ron had taken several steps back, his back to the wall as he wrestled with his choice: he could keep going, leaving the others behind and escape with Ginny while the battle went on… But that meant… That meant leaving his friends behind. "Ron…" Her soft vocals sounded in his ear and he looked back at her face, knowing then exactly what he needed to do. He deposited her off onto the floor as far away from the fray that he could and jumped into the battle, joining Hermione as she took on two of the men. Across from them Harry battled with Greyback and Draco with his own father. From where she sat on the floor, Ginny was watching for some kind of opening, for some way of helping if she could. She had no wand and really no way of helping at all. She bit her bottom lip and could only hope that things were going to turn out alright.

"Haha!" Ron cheered as he disarmed the other of the two Death Eaters they had been fighting with, throwing a fist into the air as Hermione knocked him unconscious with a quick flick of her wand. They turned to the next battle, she joining Draco and he joining Harry as they fought against the two remaining men. Behind them, Ginny was on the move, reaching for the wand which had been lost by one of the other Death Eaters. Once in her possession, she sat back again, taking a deep breath as she watched closely, still waiting for any opportunity to step in should it arise.

"You betray us all, Draco." Lucius said as the battle came to a pause and for once, a genuine look of sorrow crossed his features, before being replaced by a disappointed anger. His own son… He would have to take his life. A disappointment he was, but he could not let him fall to anyone else's hands. He would do it himself.

Draco said nothing but instead lashed out, his curse hitting it's mark and knocking his father back a few steps. He glanced around the room, from Harry to Ron and then to Hermione. They were all fiercely fighting back, fighting against the threat that was his father and Greyback. He knew that Voldemort would arrive on scene at any given moment and they needed to be gone before then. "Harry," he said sharply, grabbing the male's attention, locking eyes with him. "You need to go." Harry blinked, understanding a moment later just what he was saying. "Go." He urged, turning his back to him before Harry had a chance to respond, his wand out as he shot two more curses towards his father and Greyback. He recalled something Ginny had once said to him, a long time ago when he had first come to their side; _we all have something to do in this war and this life._ This was what he was supposed to do. "Now!" He shouted as he hit Greyback with another spell, causing the werewolf to yell out in pain as his skin split open at the contact site.

Harry was on the move then, knowing without a doubt what was to happen if he left Draco behind. "Ron!" He shouted and Ron was on the move, rushing across the room to take hold of his sister, scooping her into his arms and taking off at a run. "Take her and Hermione and go!" He chased after them but he knew without a single doubt that he could not go without Draco.

Ginny was screaming then, shouting and fighting against Ron's hold on her as she realized what was happening. "You can't leave him behind!" She cried out, her fist banging against Ron's shoulder, her brown eyes wide and full of tears. "Ron, you can't!" She was wild-eyed as she stared at him, her red hair falling down to frame her face, her one hand outstretched as if she might reach Draco still. "Draco!" Her cry echoed through the mansion as Ron busted through the door which they'd entered hours before, and he turned only to see that Harry had not followed him and Hermione. He was instead rushing back into the fray, stepping into the midst as Lucius took Draco down with a Cruciatus Curse.

Ginny continued to struggle, but Ron held fast to her, his mouth to her ear as he murmured words Hermione could not hear. After a moment, whatever fight that was left in Ginny went out and she slumped back against her brother's chest, head against his shoulder, her red hair falling to hide her features from sight. Ron shot Hermione a glance, taking note of the brunette's worried face, and tried to offer her an encouraging smile. "He's going to be fine." They had lost him once, but Ron was certain that they would not lose him again. "Let's go." Together they raced down the hall and into the foyer, having to pause only a few minutes to take out three masked Death Eaters that had arrived on scene. When all three were down, they busted out the door they'd come in and once outside in the moonlight, the three were gone from the spot, reappearing into the safety of the Burrow's outermost yard.

Harry blocked a spell shot by Lucius and sent one back of his own, knocking the older man back a step or two. With Greyback still down, bleeding heavily from his arm wound, Harry took this moment to offer a hand to Draco, helping him to his feet. "Alright, mate?" He asked him to which he was given a smirk as a reply, a nod following after. "Let's get out of here." Both turned to face Lucius, who's anger was evident as he stared down his son and the Boy Who Lived, his wand gripped tightly in hand. Two against one, those odds were never good, but he knew the Dark Lord would arrive any moment… He had to act and he had to do it fast. "Stupefy!" Harry shouted, the spell catching him slightly off guard, but he had just enough time to block it, before shooting one back of his own.

The two went back and forth and Draco stepped to the side, his aim perfect as he caught his father with the stunning spell in a magic moment of perfect opportunity. He stood there then, towering over him, his wand lost and his knees on the ground. This moment… How many moments had he experienced this, but with the roles reversed? How many times had his father stood over him, wand in hand, hexing him to prove a point? Cursing him to force him to obey? Now… This was his chance. But no, Draco realized after a moment, he was better than that. He was better than his father. He felt a touch to his arm and he turned, seeing Harry standing there, and he was reminded of his true place. "Let's go." Draco said, turning back for only a moment, to look his father in the eye as he crushed his wand beneath his foot. Then he and Harry followed the path that Ron and the others had took only a short while ago, escaping past the bodies of the Death Eaters they'd taken out on their way, and into the moonlight of the yard. Then they too disappeared on the spot, escaping to the safety of the Burrow.


End file.
